BULLETIN OF THE BROOKLYN ENT. SOC. 85 



ABNORMAL LAUYM. 



During the season past we found the following - in the larval 

 state without the caudal horn. 



Macroglossa thysbe, Fab. 

 Darapsa myron Cram. 

 " choerilus, " 



" versicolor, Harr. •— 



Sphinx drupiferarum, Ab. & Sni. 



" undulosa ,Walk. 



8merinthus geminatus, Say. 

 " myops, Ab. & Sm. 



As is well known the larvae of all these ordinarily have caudal 

 horns. 



In the most of cases the caudal horn was simply aborted. In 

 the case of one larva of Smerinthus myops however there seemed 

 to be a considerable part of the upper portion of the last segment 

 gone. In each case there was every intermediate grade between 

 the aborted and the normal form of the larva. The abortion was 

 much more common among the Smerinthi. 



We had also one example of a larva of E mpretia stim ulea in 

 which one of the large fleshy processes was gone. 



So far as the pupa have become imagines there has been no im- 

 perfection or loss observed as a result of the larval imperfection. 



In one case this last summer the caudal horn of a larva of Darap- 

 sa versicolor was by accident cut short off. The larva had just 

 passed the second moult. A drop of liquid matter escaped, but 

 the larva took only temporary notice of its loss and no inconveni- 

 ence seemed to be suffered by it in subsequent moultings. It 

 never regained its caudal horn however. 



There is we have noticed a great deal of variation in the ground 

 color of larva? and as well in the details of ornamentation. In the 

 same brood there will be great difference in the depth of the 

 ground color as e. g. in the Sphingidae it takes every shade almost 

 of green, sa e g. yellow pale and deep green. — And as well among 

 these there are the larvae with ground color brown becoming in 

 some cases almost black. The ornamentation as well varies in the 

 size of stripes and spots on the ground color. In the larva of Sme- 

 rinthus myops for example sometimes the oblique lateral stripes 

 are hardly discernible and often the red spots are wanting. At 

 other times the markings are bright and distinct and the larva is 



